Tag: Diaspora Africaine

Volunteering has become an interesting part of people’s lives. While some volunteering jobs may be for humanitarian purposes, others have a business potential. It is delightful for someone to volunteer at a place of his or her interest. When people volunteer, not only do they bless themselves, but they also solve other’s problems that may stay unsolved otherwise.

Unfortunately, countless people would like to volunteer but don’t know where they can find an opening in a town or country of their interest. At the same time, many organizations have volunteer openings, but they don’t know how and who to contact to get those jobs done. Particularly, many people travel for diverse reasons (missions, vacation, etc.) to other countries and would like to volunteer for a specific need, but they don’t know who to contact or how to provide that service. There is a gap of information and collaboration between people willing to volunteer and the persons or institutions that will receive those services.

In addition to advocating for their country, the global diaspora can play a crucial role in solving this problem. The diasporas have the chance to live and experience life abroad. They know a lot of new things that the people in their home country do not know. Consequently, the potential of the diaspora needs to be harvested to empower the development of their nations. In other words, volunteering should play a big part in diaspora engagement efforts. Up to today, a very few platforms openly provide that kind of service worldwide in a win-win framework. Consequently, many opportunities of volunteering are missed because they are hidden from the public or they are tagged with complex financial strategies or interests. This situation is contributing to the poverty of many people and nations. A solution was needed!

In our previous article, we tried to explain the unemployment problems of the diaspora and immigrants. We also explored what DiasporaEngager (the International Diaspora Engagement Platform) is doing to help solve those problems. Today, we will give more insights into other strategies the unemployed people and their countries can use to alleviate unemployment and put more people to work!

After someone gets a job, it is also important to keep it and perform it without much labor issues. Sometimes, diaspora members encounter discrimination problems related to age, race, gender, disability, religion, politics, … , for which they need professional assistance (e.g. legal services or counseling). DiasporaEngager connects people with legal professionals that can provide labor services.

Helping some qualified immigrants who want to return to their country of origincan help solve the unemployment problem. Unfortunately, it is difficult for the migrants or the diaspora to go back to their home countries which, usually, at their turn, are not taping into the huge potential of their own professionals living abroad!

Every country needs to start involving their diaspora inkey sectors such as education, research, development. Those who have an education in science and technology can also use their knowledge to find and engage with opportunities in their current countries and also in their country of origin where those skills are oftentimes more needed. At the same time, volunteering must to be encouraged so, that even without pay, people can utilize their strength and talents to help others. For instance, the diaspora can volunteer their potential to advancetheir countries which they can also represent at strategic places abroad.

Seeking a job or trying to hire someone? Click here!

The joblessness problem can be alleviated if the diaspora can also provide their skills to their home countries in consulting and partnership. The sad observation is that many countries are not investing in their diaspora and worse, they are not taking advantage of the huge consulting potential of their international professionals living abroad! Similarly, the international pundits and their home countries must design ways so that the diaspora can be strategically used to advocate for the development of their native nation. By doing so, the unemployment rate among the native and the immigrants can be significantly reduced, while knowledge more valued.

Last but not least, those who are living abroad need to be honest with their relatives who are still in their home country. Sometimes, many people move abroad seeking a better life that they never find because a relative or a friend abroad has given them false advice or information about career opportunities overseas. It is dangerous for the global diaspora to keep their own people in the darkness of the reality abroad. At the same time, it is very important for the diaspora and the immigrants to help each other in a way that those who have succeeded assist the new arrivals!

Those who have succeeded can share their stories and strategies they used so that others who are trying to follow their path can reach their dreams without many struggles. These are some of the strategies DiasporaEngager is using to help people and their nations to find and engage in a way that can develop them.

After decades of independence, economic development in African countries continues to lag behind. However, several models and ideologies of development have been applied. Are these ideologies and models inadequate in Africa’s specific case or are the real causes of Africa’s failures due to different factors? Considering the complex process of development, the answer to this question is not simple. In trying to find the real solution to the problem, the importance of identifying the source of poverty in Africa is very relevant.

In one of my books (A continent in tears: The origin of Africa’s collapse and how to reverse it), Dr Roland Holou thoroughly analyzed the real evils that undermine development in African countries. After reviewing the literature on Africa’s development and the misconduct of African officials, the importance of human resource and knowledge in the process of Africa’s development has been revealed. The in-depth analysis focused on the failures of the education systems, lack of thought, problems with intelligence and creativity, scientific research, negativity, rote learning(mechanically memorizing information without truly learning how to apply it), corruption, the mismanagement of Africa’s natural resources, reproduction, witchcraft, politics, trade unionism, ignorance, the African mentality, accountability, the awareness of Africans, corruption of foreign powers, the brain drain, and so on. Examples of elites that Africa needs are included as well.

Why does Africa Weep and Deteriorate?

Indeed, Africa suffers from an intellectual, demographic, and spiritual crisis. The decline of Africa is due not only to its poor management and governance, but also to the acts of evil inflicted upon the continent. From households to the very top of the state, Africans are faced with major challenges. Many Africans are afraid to think or do not want to think; many are afraid to speak, do not want to speak, or cannot speak; many are afraid to act or do not want to act; many leaders are corrupt and/or do not want to learn; many have knowledge but do not want to or cannot apply their knowledge; many religious figures are so attached to narrow visions that they have disregarded the management of cities and politics. Above all else, intellectuals are often spurned by those in charge. When certain individuals want to contribute to society or become something, they are suppressed and rejected. Many skills are scorned; great minds are rarely encouraged or heard. Though several politicians do have some skilled knowledge, recognized experts and skilled workers generally do not want to get involved in politics.

When dictators come to power, they do as they please; when politicians have power, they hardly listen to skilled workers; when skilled workers take power, they act as if everything is technical. Moreover, radical trade unionism and political opposition are destroying Africa. Many do not want to contribute to successful initiatives, preferring instead to advance their own interests. What’s worse is the erroneous African mentality that makes development and progress impossible. While skilled, able workers who could make a difference are out of work, lazy and unqualified individuals are promoted to important positions by their relatives in power. Meanwhile, the expenses of the “great” have robbed Africa of the little that is available, all to the detriment of the poor, “innocent” farmers who are dying under the afternoon sun. With the help of foreign powers and politicians, African officials have effectively beaten Africa down.

Moreover, in many education systems, diplomas are not always symbols of knowledge that will lead to positive action toward development. Indeed, Africans distribute and collect many useless degrees. Many graduates claim to be educated when in reality their credentials are a sham. Africa trains too many scholars—parrots whose heads are filled with useless theories and words—who are unproductive and ultimately do not contribute anything of value to society. There are very few exceptions to this rule. Meanwhile, uncontrolled reproduction is enhancing poverty and other problems pertaining to underdevelopment at a faster rate than preexisting problems can be solved. Indeed, polygamy and certain sexual perversions not only contribute to underdevelopment in Africa, but also to the culture of African destitution.

Additionally, African intellectuals are under the influence of spiritual factions that often impede efforts toward development. Unfortunately, the classic debates surrounding underdevelopment in Africa have always ignored the spiritual dimension of the problem. Undoubtedly, developed countries had advantages and other assets that aided them in their growth. These countries have had their Enlightenment period; great minds have worked to put these nations on the right path. Today, Africa’s best minds are afraid to even remain on the continent. Due to this massive brain drain, there are real problems pertaining to coordination, awareness, accountability, and intelligent, rational application of development strategies in African nations.

Real Causes and Solutions to African Impoverishment

In an attempt to find a lasting solution to the impoverishment of Africa and to put the continent on the path to prosperity, Dr. Roland Holou (www.RolandHolou.com) has suggested pertinent and practical reforms in his book that should be initiated. This book provides anyone who is concerned with development in Africa valuable information and instruction on how to take action. The ideas proposed in this book could be applied to other continents as well, as these same issues occur outside of Africa.

Dual citizen of the USA and Benin Republic, Dr. Roland Holou has a doctorate in plant sciences, entomology, and microbiology. He is an agricultural engineer and a specialist in environmental development and management. He also holds a diploma in Rural Development and is the Founder and CEO of DiasporaEngager (www.DiasporaEngager.com), the world’s #1 diaspora engagement platform. To learn more about Dr Roland Holou and his books, or to contact him, please write to: rholou@yahoo.com and rholou@diasporaengager.com

Through my experience dealing with diasporas across the globe (e.g. https://www.DiasporaEngager.com/map), I have learned something very shocking about Africa and America that I would like to share with you today. I noticed that some diaspora groups and countries are very connected and as tightly knit as a sweater. When I realized that these groups were successful in helping their diaspora and home country, I thought to myself: why isn’t this the case for Africa?

For many years, I used to think that the African leaders, politicians, and intellectuals were the main cause of the African problem. In 2008, I published a book in France titled “La Faillite des Cadres et Intellectuels Africains(The Failure of the African Intellectuals). After being recently involved in several diaspora initiatives, I realized that what causes the African leaders to cling to power and ignore their own intellectuals who, in the end, are leaving Africa to go abroad, is also causing the African Diaspora to fight among each other, and wanting to raise themselves above each other in a way that most of the African diaspora initiatives are not in sync. The Africans tend to always put themselves first, and in the process, they discourage and put down anyone who may dare to do something similar. While other nations are fighting the ideologies that should free Africa, the Africans themselves keep creating and worsening divisions they have been subjected to by colonial powers. African efforts lack coordination and cooperation at many levels. The African Diaspora and African leaders are not ready to engage with one another in a realistic way that can overcome 21st century global mindsets and customs that still try to hold back the Black community, despite having a Black President at the White House.

The mentality that caused the Europeans to go to Africa to divide it, to catch our grandfathers and force them into slavery (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_slave_trade), is sadly still within many of our own African leaders and the African Diaspora. That evil spirit is causing many Africans to sabotage one another, and to refuse to collaborate with or help each other. That is why Africa is unable to unite and use its rich lands and resources to develop. I found it fascinating that some Africans born in Africa do not even consider African Americans (descendants of former slaves) to be a part of the African diaspora. Sometimes, I am shocked that while talking about race in America, there is a difference between African, Black, African American, Afrodescendant, and Negro. Yet, they are the same people who are struggling to free their brothers and sisters from some historical strongholds.

During the building of the global diaspora database (www.DiasporaEngager.com/directory and https://www.DiasporaEngager.com/map), I engaged with several diaspora associations across the globe. I noticed that there are many African diaspora clubs. The Africans gather themselves in groups that discuss diverse forms of doctrines without truly thinking about how to help others even their own people. In those diaspora groups or networks, some Africans surround themselves with people who can help them to find a piece of the pie and eat it together. After being involved in decision making at the highest level, I found it amazing that in America, many of the African Diaspora’s initiatives by Africans from Africa are not welcomed by some leaders in the African American communities (https://www.diasporaengager.com/American), and vice versa. The Africans need to learn to work more cooperatively and to stop to be victims of their past historical wounds. The African Diasporas are so dispersed and divided that IF they cannot learn HOW to better work with one another in the midst of their divergences and geographical constraints, they can never sustainably improve their situation.

An African Market.

The most developed countries do NOT like each other, BUT they know how to meet in their clubs of G7, G10, G20, Gxyz, etc. to work together and push their agenda forward. While the African Nations are trying hard to be included in these clubs, they have refused for more than 50 years to unite themselves to form a realistic African Union. Similarly, some African leaders tend to reject the potential of their diaspora intellectuals in order to focus on their own selfish agendas that help them acquire money; create projects and/or get consulting fees, or keep their power until they die on their throne before their children take over by picking up the leadership heritage. Though certain African Leaders cite the western countries as the root of their poverty, they crush their own people with policies, sometimes in the name of democracy that some people think is sufficient to develop Africahttps://DiasporaEngager.com/extPage/DemocracyGovernance!

Likewise, the African diasporas “ignore” one another just as some developed countries technically overlook Africa’s best interests. For instance, Benin Republic—my country of origin—is among the smallest countries in the world. We have more than 150 political parties in Benin and there are several diaspora associations from Benin in America; however, they are NOT working together. Everybody wants to be the Boss and at the same time some western powers have put Africa in a big box that it is struggling to escape. This backward mentality is everywhere amongst most African nations and diasporas. As if this mentality is not enough, the African leaders are not listening to the intellectuals they have at their own universities. Indeed, they have chased away many professionalshttps://www.diasporaengager.com/BrainDrain and imprisoned those they do not like. Africa claims that it wants to reverse the brain drain; however, it forgets that the migration of these brains is feeding the economy and the technology of western countries that Africa asks to fund the African projects where money is spoiled and wasted as if it was the sand of the seashore. Are the Africans implying that the World Bank was right when it argued for many years that Africa does not need University Intellectuals? For instance, the African Leaders need to understand that listening to their own intellectuals and investing in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics … must be the first priority in their budget. Otherwise, we are just programming and prolonging poverty in Africa, although some people use statistics to show that Africa is prospering. Money-oriented conferences organized on behalf of Africa will not improve the African situation. Indeed, if we cannot change the mentality of the African Leaders, we cannot win this battle. African leaders need to follow the example of the African intellectuals who are making positive difference such as Prof Brice Sinsin (http://www.BriceSinsin.com)

Furthermore, we need to be more honest with Africa and with one another. For instance, members of the African Diasporas (https://www.diasporaengager.com/Africa) are very smart, but NOT very rich. Yet, when they go to Africa, they behave as if they are billionaires abroad. This behavior ignites excitement and adventure in the minds of talented Africans, who then leave Africa only to realize that life abroad is not always easy, nor the heaven that some people describe. We need to start being honest with our people in Africa. When we want to talk about African Diaspora Engagement, let’s not think too much about MONEY, and let’s refrain from turning to BIG financial institutions for funding. Money has never been Africa’s problem and it will never be the solution. If the African Diaspora can help one another without spreading abroad their backward mentality—which is not different from the mindset of the nations that try to oppress them—, I (www.RolandHolou.com) believe we can better forge strong coalitions that can help free Africa, the poor, the needy, and the afflicted from being controlled by the power of other nations who are trying to develop themselves as well.

Some people may wonder why I am speaking as if I hate Africa. The fact of the matter is that I love Africa very much and I still have brothers and sisters on the Black continent who cannot even comprehend the reality of life abroad even if I risk my life to tell them the truth. I was born and raised in the Benin Republic (West Africa) before I moved to the USA many years ago. I am privileged to have tasted life in Africa before migrating to the USA, where I got my PhD in Plant, Insect and Microbial Sciences. I have been working and publishing books and articles about Africa for more than 15 years. It is my love for Africa and the global diaspora that caused me to create DiasporaEngager, the International Diaspora Engagement Platform www.DiasporaEngager.com. Today, I am pleased to inform you that the platform is growing quickly and is being used in many countries. We also completed the most comprehensive diaspora database and diaspora map, which anyone can access by creating a free account at www.DiasporaEngager.com/miniRegister and then visit athttps://diasporaengager.com/map/. DiasporaEngager is helping people and nations to address some of the problems mentioned above http://diasporasnews.com/how-does-diasporaengager-help-individuals-organizations-and-nations/. If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact me at rholou@yahoo.com and rholou@DiasporaEngager.com.

In our previous article (Why Immigrants and Diasporas Cannot Easily Return Back Home), we discussed how difficult it is for immigrants and diaspora members to return back home. Today, we will explore some of the strategies DiasporaEngager is taking to help the diaspora and their people to return back home if needed.

DiasporaEngager aims at facilitating dialog and negotiations between the international diasporas and their countries. DiasporaEngager encourages governments affected by brain drain to create new programs to assist their diaspora to return home. Because the diaspora studied in a higher and more advanced system, a kind of positive discrimination (giving them special favors and benefits) needs to be created to distinguish them from their peers who stayed home. DiasporaEngager encourages the creation of a new type of non-profit (Non-Governmental Organization) to facilitate that type of investment. Expatriating immigrants, closing borders, or granting work permits to the so called illegal immigrants cannot solve this migratory grand challenge.

DiasporaEngager provides an avenue to locate the parties interested in such opportunities and helps them to start the communication or partnership required to define the conditions and context of the return of qualified Diaspora members to their original country. People interested in returning back to their home country as well as the nations and organizations that would like to encourage that move should register an account on www.DiasporaEngager.com. The institutions or organizations in the home country should define the opportunities that they can provide so that the Diaspora can search and match their expectations with what is available in their home country. DiasporaEngager provides the environment to facilitate that dialog and works together with local and international agencies involved in migration, traveling, or development to harness any opportunities that can assist anyone in this transition.

DiasporaEngager: The world’s #1 platform that really helps immigrants and diasporas to find opportunities to stay abroad or to return back home.

DiasporaEngager works with local business to hire diaspora members and to help them return to their home country to work for them. Companies in the diaspora’s host country can hire diaspora members and send them to work for them in their home country. After knowing the diaspora member’s work ethic, businesses in the host country of the diaspora can better trust not just the qualifications they hold, but also the confidence that can be put in them for the best interest of the business. Sometimes, many multinational companies would like to hire or subcontract with other international businesses, but because of a lack of knowing the culture and competency of other organizations abroad, it is more difficult. If the diasporas returning back home can be involved in this kind of international transaction they can be the bridge between the gap.

In the context of DiasporaEngager, the word Diaspora refers to anyone who, for any reasons, is living in a country or town that is not his or her place of origin or ancestry or the place s/he calls home. Some people may call them an immigrant, a stranger, or an alien. Some may argue that, most individuals can be remotely linked to a country of origin different from their current country of residence, and therefore, most of us are an alien, immigrant, or a Diaspora of somewhere. In the US for instance, except the native Indians, everyone else can be considered an alien or immigrant. Even in that case, the Indians themselves have had to migrate from somewhere before reaching the US.

The longer the duration of the stay of someone in a foreign land, the higher the likelihood that his or her descendants think that they (the descendants) are native of that place that their ancestry moved to long ago. That’s why, because they are not first, second, or third generation immigrants, many people easily forget that they are a stranger of what they call “our land”, and unfortunately treat the new immigrants like the “bad people” or like “those who are taking our lands or our country”, or like “those who don’t even speak our language well”, or like “those who don’t behave like us”. In reality, those new immigrants (new arrivals) are usually just trying to go through the obligatory survival and integration steps that the ancestors of those who are calling them “strangers” and who think they are native, did long ago.

DiasporaEngager is not a political organization which is trying to advocate for any particular immigration agenda. To make a long story short, regardless of where we are from and where we are living, let’s try to help each other to succeed in this life on this earth. We never know what bad weather will come tomorrow or what may cause us to move in the future. We don’t know what is awaiting our descendants which may choose to move out from where we are today to another place. We don’t even fully understand where we are coming from and what brought our ancestors to where we are today. If you want to join us in our efforts to help diaspora members globally, please register an account on www.DiasporaEngager.com

Human migration is a universal problem that is here to stay. Human beings, and even wild animals, move because they are usually trying to solve a problem. For instance, when the weather is getting bad, many animal species know how to migrate to avoid exposing themselves to environmental conditions that can threaten their existence. Certain animals that cannot migrate, hibernate to avoid the bad weather like winter! Wild animals which are unable to migrate nor fully hibernate, usually suffer during the rough season, and some even die!

When human beings move, they also have in mind the notion of finding a better life. I do not think many people move to a new place just to willingly expose themselves to detrimental conditions that will hurt or kill them, unless they are terrorists, which is a bad thing. However, because of political limitations, human beings do not have the freedom to migrate to wherever they would like. In most cases, people are restrained to their native countries and unable to move abroad because they lack finances, governmentapproval, connections, vision, and support from family or friends. Usually, when human beings manage to leave their home country for another country, they do not easily return back, unless something threatens their dream abroad, or some better opportunities open up in their home country, or they are repatriated from their residence country back to their native country. Even so, those who are repatriated want to return back to the country they just came from!

When it comes to the diaspora of the developing countries, if stinginess, unforgiveness, and selfishness can be added to the already-complicated equations among the diaspora and those residing in the same country, most of the immigrants allow pride to get in their way and would prefer dying abroad than returning back to their native country. It is in this critical condition that most countries are begging their diasporas to give back or to invest in their development.

Join the International Immigrants Platform at www.DiasporaEngager.com/miniRegister

Nevertheless, a handful of educated people living in the Diaspora would like to return to their country of origin or country of residence, but in most cases, a very few organized structures exist to facilitate that type of movement. Some people don’t even know who to talk to or where to start in order to return to their home country. This is because many developed countries do not have a clear plan to integrate or incorporate their diaspora and returning immigrants into the development of their own country. Many immigrants have returned or have been returned to their home country, but have failed due to a lack of programs to help them integrate into their new environment. Numerous traveling agencies and businesses assist people in planning their travels, but very few specialize in helping diaspora members return to their home country even if it is for a short stay to contribute to their nation’s development. After arriving to a new country and being surprised by the many hurdles they have to overcome, once realizing all the obstacles, certain immigrants oftentimes want to return home but lack the funding to do so.

The problem is more complex for the educated people living abroad. Indeed, some diaspora members studied at a very high cost; some may have even acquired debts (e.g. student loan, cost of living abroad), and after graduation, they would like to return back to their home country, but unfortunately, they can’t afford it, because the salary they will make in their home country cannot allow them to pay their debt and have a decent life. Furthermore, if they return, they will likely not find the tools and resources to practice what they have learned. However, if someone (e.g. government, nonprofit) can assist them in paying off that debt and having a decent job, some diaspora members would love to return home. A solution must be found for this global problem.

In our next post, we will discuss what DiasporaEngager is doing to solve this complex problem. Please stay tuned! Meanwhile, you can join our efforts by registering a free account at: https://diasporaengager.com/miniRegister

Almost every African country is trying to engage with its diaspora. However, in general, when it comes to how to convince the African diaspora to work with their country of origin, most of the methods used are not working. One of the first things that comes to the mind of most Africans living in Africa is to ask the diaspora to help them, forgetting that no one is helping the diaspora for free. In contrast, the first thing that enters the mind of most diasporas is not how to help Africa, but whether Africa knows why they have left the continent and what they are doing/facing abroad!

Do I need to underline that many African immigrants have left the Black Continent because they were chased away by some leaders and sorcerers who, today, are begging them to invest back home? What can’t I say about the massive and forced migration of Africans to America during one of the darkest and wicked ages of human history a few centuries ago? I even wonder how many people realize that the largest African diaspora population is in Brazil! Most Africans leaders are not trying to better know and understand their diaspora before asking them to come invest their money in Africa. Sometimes, I even wonder how many African Professionals in the Diaspora are richer than the African leaders who are begging them for money. Worst, some African leaders act as if their diaspora have forgotten the wounds they have suffered in Africa before finding a way to flee the continent of Kwame Nkrumah. Undoubtedly, a lot of basic first steps needs to be addressed in order to start aligning the mentality of Africa with that of its diaspora. Otherwise, the synergistic coalition needed for African Diaspora Engagement (www.DiasporaEngager.com/Africa) will continue lacking!

The migration of the diasporas from their home country to their new country of residence is a kind of “divorce or break up” with their roots. Some Africans have had some bad experiences with their own people that they do not even want to reverse their “divorce” with the continent of Nelson Mandela and of Prof Brice Sinsin. Other immigrants have been highly afflicted by the people in their home country that they do not want to hear any request coming from them. No intelligible man dates a woman by starting to ask about anything that is supposed to be last. Moreover, no reasonable man can win back his ex-wife or ex-girlfriend, and vice versa, by starting the conversation with a list of requests or a list of things that the ex must do. Sadly, certain political leaders who orchestrated the migration of their own people cling to power and then, ask their diaspora that they and their ancestors have hunted to come and invest in their country. These types of diaspora engagement cannot work, particularly in the African context where people seem to pull each other toward the bottom of the misery pit. At the same time, many foreign countries are taking advantage of the divergences among the Africans!

African Diaspora Engagement Must be like a Love Story. Why? Check out www.DiasporaEngager.com/Africa

The involvement of the diaspora in the development of their home country must follow certain basic rules of courtesy. I believe that Africa and its diaspora need to start “dating” each other in a format similar to that of a man trying to win back his ex-wife or ex-girlfriend, and vice versa. However, while some people that have broken up can easily find new loves, it is not easy for most diaspora to quickly forget their roots and embrace the culture of their new country. This implies that many opportunities still exist to start engaging the African Diasporas in a dialogue with their homeland which dearly needs them. For this dialog to succeed, it must not begin with begging the diaspora to come back to Africa or to invest in Africa. Similarly, the diaspora should not inaugurate this dialog by requesting that the African political leaders change overnight. The African Diasporas need to know that, though their new life abroad has changed the way they used to think, many of their brothers and sisters in Africa still act as if they have no brain or if they cannot get rid of the legacy of the colonial ignorance and slavery. Therefore, the African Diaspora must be tolerant with their own people who need to be willing to realign and renew their mentality so that synergistic coalitions can be fostered in a win-win framework for the advancement of our dear Africa rather than allowing the so-called super powers to continue poaching their rich lands and mines like the cake of their grandmother or like their heritage or like the field of their slaves that they are still trying to enslave with diverse model of modern technology, negotiation, aids, partnership, and legislation!!!

Please, don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that every African diaspora engagement effort has failed. Indeed, several people and organizations have successfully engaged with Africa and its diaspora in a positive way. Many Africans living in Africa and in the diaspora have also contributed to the development of their homeland. We take advantage of this opportunity to thank those Africans, African diasporas, their friends, partners and stakeholders who have made a positive difference in Africa.

However, after spending years working on the African problems and writing books on African Development, I can conclude that, when it comes to engaging the African diaspora in the development of Africa, ten questions need to be asked first:

What can we do to forgive each other and embrace a new journey of partnership?

How can we partner rather than how can they help us?

How can we initiate this partnership without bringing up money as the first issue?

And these questions must be answered without forgetting the millions of African-Americans, (descendants of the slaves or African Descent individuals of descendants of former slaves), whom some stupid and/or naive Leaders think are not worthy to be called African Diaspora! It is after these questions are sincerely addressed that Africa and its Diaspora can start talking about who can do what for who? Without following these simple strategic steps, the African diaspora will just keep creating thousands of African Diaspora Associations, while the African Political Leaders will keep creating more Political Parties in Africa, yet, sinking Africa, remaining at odds and, therefore, unable to work together to create positive change. If you like this article, you will be also interested in joining the Global Diaspora Engagement Platform and the African Diaspora Platform at http://DiasporaEngager.com/miniRegister. Anyway, I, Dr Roland Holou www.RolandHolou.com would like to hear from you.

Nations develop themselves because of the research, innovation, invention, and creativity of their people. Consequently, the poverty of certain nations can be linked to the education of their citizens. For instance, the gap of knowledge and development between universities in developed countries and those in developing countries is very huge because of the quality of their research, the environment, and the lack of resources. Even within any country, significant differences are found between the services provided at different educational institutions.

If the developing countries must invest in their research institutions to reach the level of the research being done in certain developed countries, they must allocate a significant amount of their national budget. Unfortunately, due to their economy, most developing countries cannot afford that kind of spending. To resolve some of the challenging problems affecting education today, collaborative efforts must be strategically made. For instance, many governmental and private institutions are increasingly requiring universities to collaborate regionally or worldwide before winning certain grants and fellowships. While the under-developed educational institutions have several collaboration opportunities, they lack the information to find the right collaborators. Similarly, numerous institutions in developed countries can provide their expertise to others, but the connection is missing. When brain drain is added to the equation, the solution is more difficult for the countries that are negatively affected.

Helping students, staff, and faculty to easily find peers and schools that have opportunities for them.

Because they better know the context of their home countries than the foreigners, the global diaspora must play a key role in helping their country of origin to alleviate some of their educational problems.Without a doubt, the potential of many educated people of most developing countries is not being well used abroad, while their native countries are neither crafting strategies to harvest that potential for their benefit. As an example, someone who obtained a doctorate in the USA or in the UK, is likely to have some advanced technological knowledge and tools than someone who got the same degree in Africa or in other third world countries. Usually, most of the top scientists from the developing countries that are trained abroad do not want to return back to their native countries to use their skills and knowledge to advance their people and their nations. While many developing countries are begging their brains to return home to build their nations, several developed countries where those brains live are also forging much more powerful strategies to encourage brain drain. Knowing that it is very difficult, even sometimes impossible, to force people to move to a new place, including going abroad or returning back home, a new type of strategy is very much needed to solve the educational problems of the global diaspora in a sustainable way. Many institutions are trying to tackle this issue, but most of them appear to be advancing agendas that conflict with the real solution! Global and unselfish efforts that are not solely based on monetary transactions are much needed to fully help the international immigrants to properly develop themselves and in return help their country of origin to improve their scholastic services.

DiasporaEngager is addressing this complex challenge related to the international diaspora engagement in education, research, development and much more. To overcome this international challenge, DiasporaEngager does not focus only of higher education, but on many levels of education (post graduate, graduate, undergraduate, high school, place of apprenticeship, vocational education, etc.) where knowledge is dispensed. DiasporaEngager is a global network platform that links educational and research institutions to educational needs and opportunities related to: collaboration, consultation or consulting, economic development, employment, endowment, extension, grant, library services, outreach, philanthropy, research partnership, pen pal, study abroad, student exchange, teaching, tourism, and partnership, etc.

DiasporaEngager helps establish and strengthen collaboration between laboratories and research centers in developing and developed countries in order to solve professional needs. DiasporaEngager facilitates networking between universities across the globe so that they use advanced technologies to innovate, create, and invent while addressing the crucial research and development problems. This global platform allows students, staff, and faculty to easily find peers and schools that have opportunities matching their educational interests or needs and vice versa. DiasporaEngager is a global channel through which people and resources can be transferred between educational institutions according to the institutions developmental gap.

The international diaspora and the people and organizations in their country of origin and in their country of residence can use this platform to quickly inform each other about the path and means to get a better education to improve lives and develop nations. By doing so, DiasporaEngager acts as a liaison between the global diaspora and their home countries to transfer resources required to develop or reform their educational system and a whole lot more.

All it takes so start using that global platform is to create a free account at www.DiasporaEngager.com/miniRegister. The registration and the use of the platform are free. If you are already a user of DiasporaEngager, please log into your account today and post your needs/offers related to education or anything else so that others can find and respond to them. As of today, people and organizations from more than 80 countries are already using that platform. Why not register today and see what is awaiting you! Together with their diasporas, each country can better handle their educational and developmental problems while fully engaging with the complex problems of their international diaspora associations and people.

In this comprehensive reference and background book, Dr. Roland Holou (www.RolandHolou.com) highlights the lives, visions, achievements, policies, and strategies of exceptional contemporary African Diaspora leaders across the globe. This inspirational collection of biographies motivates, challenges, and encourages current and future generations of people of African descent to take initiative and offers guidance to those interested in Africa’s development. It enlightens and empowers readers with stories that showcase the diversity, complexity, and richness of the ongoing global African Diaspora engagement efforts. It also presents powerful accounts of experiences, growth, struggle, failure, and success that will provoke interest in the field of Diaspora engagement and inspire readers to stand up and face life’s many challenges.

The featured leaders are known for their long-lasting achievements. Their impressive actions both contributed to important historical movements that significantly shaped and transformed the lives and history of people of African descent and removed major roadblocks preventing the prosperity of Africa and its Diaspora. They have brought about enormous and rare progress that would have been impossible without their leadership; their contributions have greatly improved the freedom and economic and political development of Africa and its Diaspora. If you are interested in learning the secrets of these modern leaders who have accomplished outstanding tasks and demonstrated professional excellence and character while performing duties related to Africa and its Diaspora, then this is the book for you.